Coreopsis plant named ‘Pink Sapphire’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Pink Sapphire’ characterized by daisy-type flowers that grow to 4.5 cm in diameter, purple pink flowers with a light eye, grass green foliage on strong, upright, short stems, flowering for the whole summer, and a dense, upright habit.

Botanical denomination: Coreopsis sp.

Variety designation: ‘Pink Sapphire’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCoreopsis and given the cultivar name ‘Pink Sapphire’. Coreopsis is inthe family Asteraceae. This new cultivar originated from an openpollinated cross of Coreopsis ‘Garnet’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,485), asthe seed parent. Compared to the seed parent, Coreopsis ‘Garnet’, thenew cultivar is slightly larger in habit with flowers that are brightpink rather than deep rose. The flowers of the new cultivar are largerand have a light eye rather than a dark eye.

Compared to Coreopsis rosea, an unpatented plant, the flowers on the newcultivar are purple pink with a light eye rather than pink. In additionthe new cultivar has larger flowers, blooms earlier, and is uprightrather than floppy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of the new variety. These characteristicsin combination distinguish Coreopsis ‘Pink Sapphire’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

-   -   1. large daisy-type flowers that grow to 4.5 cm in diameter,    -   2. purple pink flowers with a light eye,    -   3. grass green foliage on strong, upright, short stems,    -   4. flowering for the whole summer, and    -   5. a dense, upright habit.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows nine-month-old Coreopsis ‘Pink Sapphire’ growing in theground in the trial field in August in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Coreopsis cultivarbased on observations of nine-month-old specimens growing in the groundin full sun under typical outdoor conditions in the trial fields in Julyin Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperaturesrange from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to 32 degrees F. inJanuary. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The colordescriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 6 to 9.        -   Size.—40 cm wide and 40 cm tall to top of inflorescences.        -   Form.—Upright mound.        -   Vigor.—Excellent, fills a one gallon container in six to            eight weeks.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, stems root easily from stem cuttings.-   Stem:    -   -   Type.—Ascending.        -   Size.—20 cm tall to where branches for flowering and 4 mm            wide.        -   Number of stems from the crown.—About 9.        -   Internode length.—2 cm to 6 cm.        -   Surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Yellow Green 146A except at base where tinted Greyed            Purple 187B.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Size.—Grows to 10.5 cm long and 3 cm wide.        -   Lobing.—0 to 3 pinnatifid, lobes linear, the terminal lobe            the longest, terminal lobes each lobe 2 mm to 7 mm wide and            25 mm to 80 mm long, side lobes 1 mm to 3 mm wide and 15 mm            to 36 mm long.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Surface texture.—Pubescent on both sides.        -   Petiole.—Length 5 mm to 20 mm, width 1 mm to 2 mm, margins            pubescent, glabrous Yellow Green 146A.        -   Color.—Top and bottom side Yellow Green 146A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Long stalked terminal heads of daisy type            inflorescences.        -   Peduncle.—10 cm long, 1 mm wide, glabrous, Yellow Green            146A.        -   Size.—Grows to 4.5 cm wide and 10 mm deep.        -   Immature.—5 mm deep and 6 mm wide, ovoid, glabrous, top            streaked Greyed Purple 187A, Greyed Orange 167A, and Yellow            Green 146A; bottom Yellow Green 146A.        -   Receptacle.—Disc shaped, 3 mm wide and 2 mm deep, Yellow            Green 146B.        -   Phyllary.—In two series; inner series broadly campanulate            with 8 lobes, grows to 17 mm wide and 3 mm deep, each lobe            ovate, margin entire, tip acute, glabrous on both sides, 4            mm long and 4 mm wide; topside Greyed Orange 167B edged with            Greyed Purple 187A, bottom side top half Greyed Orange 167B,            bottom half Yellow Green 146B; outer series stellate, with 8            lobes, grows to 2 mm wide and 2 mm deep, each lobe ovate,            margin entire, tip acute, glabrous on both sides, Green 137A            on both sides with tips Greyed Purple 187A.        -   Lastingness.—Each inflorescence lasts about a week on the            plant.-   Florets:    -   -   Type.—Composite.        -   Ray florets.—8 in number with no pistil or stamen, obovate            with the tip three lobed with lobes obtuse and notched and            the central lobe the longest and most notched, entire on            both sides, grows to 23 mm long, 9 mm wide, glabrous,            topside Red Purple N74A with basal eye White 155A; bottom            side Red Purple N74C with basal eye White 155A.        -   Disc.—Conic, deeper with maturity, 5 mm wide and becoming 4            mm deep with maturity; Greyed Purple 185A.        -   Disc florets.—With stamen and pistil, about 110 in number, 4            mm long and 1.5 mm wide, tubular; corolla 3 mm long, inside            and out tube Yellow Orange 16B, 4 lobes Greyed Purple 185A;            pistil 1, ovary 1 mm long, White 155D, style 4 mm long,            extruding, with 2-branched stigma, stigma and style Greyed            Purple 187B; stamen 5, anthers 2 mm long, Greyed Purple            N187A, no pollen.        -   Bloom period.—June through October in Canby, Oreg.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Seed.—None seen.        -   Fertility.—Infertile.-   Disease and pests: Plants of the new Coreopsis have not been shown    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Coreopsis.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.